Man sentenced for hit-skip crashes after Fairport Harbor Mardi Gras fireworks

A former Mentor man charged with fleeing the scene of a crash, causing more crashes and sending two people to the hospital after a Fourth of July fireworks display in Fairport Harbor was sentenced May 10 to 150 days in jail plus a three-year driver’s license suspension.

Paul Oudeman Jr., 21, who now lives in Cleveland Heights, originally was charged with felony failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and misdemeanor counts of hit-skip, driving under suspension, no operator’s license, willful and wanton disregard of public safety and leaving the scene of an accident.

He previously pleaded guilty before Lake County Common Pleas Judge Eugene A. Lucci to attempted failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.

Oudeman, who will be on probation for three years, was ordered to live with his father and obey his father’s house rules after he is released from jail.

He also must maintain a full-time job and/or school schedule, pay $500 in restitution to one of the victims and undergo evaluations for mental health and alcohol/drugs.

In addition, Oudeman must perform 150 hours of community service, pay the costs of his prosecution and confinement, plus take care of an outstanding warrant from South Euclid police.

If he fails to abide by any of those terms, he faces 18 months in prison.

Fairport Harbor police said Oudeman caused a hit-skip crash resulting in damage to multiple vehicles. The crash sent two people to the hospital.

Officers were dispatched to the area of Second and Vine streets around 11:15 p.m., July 4, after getting calls that a driver operating a white Dodge pickup crashed into another vehicle, and then left the scene.

A mounted officer from the Lake Metroparks Ranger Department who was assisting with crowd control at the Fairport Harbor Mardi Gras saw the suspect’s truck in the area. When Fairport Harbor police arrived, an officer exited his patrol unit and attempted to get Oudeman to stop. Instead, he fled, striking additional vehicles.

Traveling south on Eagle Street, the truck hit two more vehicles near the intersection of Eagle and Fifth streets, causing injuries to the occupants of those two vehicles, police report.

The truck eventually stopped in the 500 block of Eagle Street and Oudeman got out and fled on foot, according to police.

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